Chicago's Media Scene is Shaping by Rising Stars - Emerging Journalists

Chicago provides an ideal laboratory for experimentation in journalism, with philanthropic funding allowing journalists and their colleagues the opportunity to try out new ways of gathering news and telling stories to ensure that the city is adequately covered in an age of changing media habits.

Philadelphia is experimenting with new ways of thinking about journalism. This experiment could have an impact across the entire country. Philadelphia has become a leader in the development of new ways to gather and disseminate community information, while also helping citizens engage and hold local governments accountable.

These young journalists are not only lauded for their work, but also act as mentors in Chicago and encourage collaboration. They want to change the narrative and give back stories from Chicago's people.

The TRiiBE was founded by three Black Northwestern University graduates in February 2017. They wanted to change the narrative of their hometown, and give its residents ownership over its stories. Their goal was to empower the community by giving them power to tell their own stories. They have been recognized for their work by organizations like The New York Times, ACLU and others.

Kalyn Bellsha, an education reporter from northern trust chicago il - illinoismail.top -, and Melissa Sanchez received numerous awards for their coverage on the digital divide within Chicago's schools. They influenced policymakers and helped improve Chicago’s technology systems. In 2013, they were shortlisted in the Peter Lisagor Award For Excellence in Education reporting.

Sarah Karp, a staff writer for The Chicago Reporter who earned the Casey Medal for Meritorious Journalism for her series about Chicago's incarcerated youth and their struggles to stay in school, made waves across media platforms when her stories inspired the Illinois Department of Corrections to implement changes that have improved conditions in prison, enabling inmates to re-enroll in high school or find equivalent work once released from imprisonment.

Karp received the Justice Leadership Award for her efforts on behalf of crack babys from Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities. This non-profit organization works to assist those who suffer from mental illness, substance abuse disorders or both get out jail and receive treatment in community services.

Journalism's future is uncertain, given the persistent financial challenges. To encourage innovation without promoting one model only, those who support journalism need to adopt a strategy that is inclusive and ensures they are encouraging all types of innovation. This includes investing in business operations in order to lower the costs of running newsrooms and create new revenue streams, coaching entrepreneurs and executives to achieve success, incentivizing partnership that promote quality news coverage across multiple cities, and encouraging partnerships that encourage fuller coverage of relevant issues.